Flat bed and cylinder printing press



April 30, 1 w. G. MONTGOMERY ET AL 2,790,383

FLAT BED AND CYLINDER PRINTING PRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1954 TTORNEYS.

INVENTORS William G. Montgomery I Samuel A. Huffman A ril 30, 1957 w. e. MONTGOMERY ET AL 2,790,383

FLAT BED AND CYLINDER PRINTING PRESS Filed July 22, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. William 6. Montgomery Samuel A. Huffman M W m ATTORNEYS.

A ril 30, 1957 Filed July 22, 1954 W. G. MONTGOMERY ET AL FLAT BED AND CYLINDER PRINTING PRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TORS William 6. Montgomery Samuel A. Huffman ATTORNEYS.

April 30, 1957 W. G. MONTGOMERY ET AL FLAT BED AND CYLINDER PRINTING PRESS Filed July 22,1954

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS} William G. Montgomery Samuel A Huffman WIML ATTORNEYS.

April 30, 1957 w. s. MONTGOMERY ET AL 2,790,383

FLAT BED AND CYLINDER PRINTING PRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 2.2,-1954 INVENTORS. William 6. Montgomery BY Samuel A. Huffman W W1! ATTORNEYS.

T 2,790,383 Patented Apr. 30, 1957 United States PatentOffice FLAT BED AND CYLINDER PRINTING PRESS William G. Montgomery, Marietta, and Samuel A. Hullman, Cincinnati, Ohio; said Huffman assignor to said Montgomery Application July 22, 1954, Serial No. 444,968

Claims. (Cl. 101-191) Our invention relates to a flatbed and cylinder printing press. It relates, more particularly, to a printing press of the reciprocable bed and two revolution cylinder type. It deals, more specifically, with the cylinder structure, the cylinder driving means, and the cylinder raising and lowering means of a press of the general type indicated.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our co pending applications, Serial No. 197,218, filed November 24, 1950, and Serial No. 252,642, filed October 23, 1951 which issued as Patents Nos. 2,737,110 and 2,737,111, respectively, on March 6, 1956.

In the printing press disclosed in said copending applications, the bed is reciprocated with a full harmonic motion, the impression cylinder is rotated in the same direction at all times regardless of direction of movement of the bed, the rotation of the cylinder is timed with the movement of the bed so that cylinder rotation and bed motion are in exact synchronism at all times, and the cylinder is in contact with the form carried by the bed during movement of the bed in one direction, that is during the printing stroke, but is lifted therefrom during movement of the bed in the opposite direction, that is, during the return stroke. In the press discloed in said applications, the means for driving the printing cylinder is completely under the control of the bed-driving means 4.0

on both strokes of the bed. Because of the simple harmonic bed motion, the movement of the bed starts and increases in speed to a maximum and then decreases until the bed stops at the end of the stroke. Since the cylinder drive is under control of the bed motion, during each stroke of the bed the cylinder rotation starts with the stroke of the bed, increases to a maximum and then is decelerated until it stops at the end of the stroke of the bed.

In our copending application, Serial No. 252,642, we disclose an improved cylinder structure, including an outer light-weight driven shell, having many advantages over the cylinder structure disclosed in our copending application Serial No. 197,218. The present invention provides for further improvement of the cylinder structure disclosed in said application Serial No. 252,642 by simplifying the structure and reducing the number of parts thereof. In our application Serial No. 197,218, the cylinder driving means includes a clutch between the bed driving means and the cylinder, and gears with floating or moving centers to permit the necessary lifting of the cylinder from the bed during the return stroke of the bed. In the later application Serial No. 252,642, this floating gear structure is eliminated by having the cylinder driving clutch located concentrically with the supporting shaft of the cylinder and driving the shell of the cylinder from the clutch through a roller and slot connection which permits the vertical movement of the cylinder shell.

However, with this concentric clutch cylinder driving means, in a multiple cylinder press, it is necessary to have a clutch for each cylinder. The present invention provides a cylinder driving means which is of such a nature that only one clutch is necessary even in a multiple-cylinder press, and which is of such a nature that floating gears are not necessary to permit the lifting of the cylinder shell during the return stroke of the bed without interrupting the driving connection between the clutch and the cylinder shell of each of the one or more cylinders which may be provided. The present invention also relates to an improved means for raising and lowering the cylinder shell which is more simple and more positive than those disclosed in both of our said copending applications.

The preferred embodiment of our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts and wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken through a press constructed according to our invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the press and taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view in side elevation illustrating the cylinder raising means of the press.

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken along line 44 of Figure 3, showing the disconnect clutch of the cylinder raising means.

Figure 5 is a detail in section illustrating the nature of the operating cam of the cylinder raising means.

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken along line 6--6 of Figure 3 and showing the operating cam and associated parts of the cylinder raising means.

Figure 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken through the clutch unit of the cylinder driving structure substantially along line 77 of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of the clutch unit of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the action of the cams of the clutch unit of Figures 7 and 8, the cam followers being shown in position to engage one of the clutches of the unit and disengage the other.

Figure 10 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the cylinder structure and associated driving means.

Figure 11 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 11-11 of Figure 10 through the cylinder structure.

Figurev 12 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 12-12 of Figure 10 through the driving sleeve associated with the cylinder shell.

Figure 13 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 1313 of Figure 10 and showing the floating driving connection between the cylinder driving sleeve and the cylinder shell.

With reference to the drawings, we have illustrated the general structure of our press in Figures 1 to 3. The press shown includes the single bed 30 which is mounted on the main frame 31 for reciprocation longitudinally thereof in a horizontal plane and two transversely disposed impression cylinders 32 and 33 which are carried by the frame and are located above the path of movement of the bed, the cylinders having their transverse axes spaced longitudinally of the press. These two cylinders are adapted to cooperate with two printing forms F which will be suitably removably attached to the bed at proper locations spaced longitudinally of the bed. It will be apparent from the following description that the bed is reciprocated with a full harmonic motion, the cylinders are rotated in the same direction at all times regardless of the direction of movement of the bed and through two complete revolutions for each reciprocating cycle of the bed, the rotation of the cylinders is timed with the movement of the bed so that the peripheral speed of each cylinder coincides with the speed of the bed during its with the same number of forms supported on the bed in properly spaced relationship, the number depending upon the number of colors desired. T ransfcr of the sheets from one cylinder to another may be accomplished by means of transfer mechanism of the type disclosed in our copending application Serial No. 197,218. It will be apparent that, if desired, we may provide our press with only one cylinder and in that case, the transfer unit will The frame 31 is described in detail in Serial No. 197,218 and includes the side frame members 35 and 36 (Figure 2) and the bed supporting track members 39 and at which extend the full length of the frame. These track members 39 and 40 support the bed ,30 for longitudinal reciprocation. The driving mechanism for the bed 30 reciprocates with a full harmonic motion and includes a rack 62 which is carried by a Scotch yoke 60, which is shown in detail in said copending application, and which is reciprocated as described therein bymeans of a crank roller 56 which operates in a vertical slot or groove '8 formed in the Scotch yoke, the roller 56 being carried by a crank gear 50. The crank gear 50 is keyed on a transverse shaft 51 which is rotatably mounted in bearings (not shown) carried by the track member 39 and the side member 35.

The crank gear 50 is driven by means of a pinion49 which meshes therewith and which is keyed onthe transverse shaft 44 that is carried rotatably by bearings (not shown) in the track 39 and the side member 35. The shaft 44 also carries the flywheel 43, which is keyed thereon, and the shaft 44 is driven continuously, when the press is operating, by means of a sprocket 47 keyed thereon. This sprocket 47 is driven by a chain 48 from an electric motor 480 supported at one end of the press within the frame 31.

The rack bar 62 of the yoke 60 engages a pinion 72, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and this pinion is keyed on ahollow transverse shaft 73 which is carried for rotation in bearings 74 and 75 (Figure 2) provided in the respective tracks 39 and 40 intermediate their upper and lower edges. Thus, reciprocation of the yoke 60 will oscillate the pinion 7-2 and thereby oscillate the shaft 73. The ends of the shaft 73 have keyed thereon the large bed moving gears 76 and 77 which engage with the respective bed racks 78 and 79 which are rigidly secured to the. lower site of the bed 30 near the corresponding side edges thereof. The bed 36 is mounted for reciprocation on the longitudinally extending vertically disposed tracks 39 and 4-1 as previously described.

As previously indicated, the impression cylinders 32 and 33, which are carried on the frame 31 above the bed 30, are rotated in one direction at all times and in exact synchronism with the bed at all times. T 0 accomplish this, the cylinders are driven from the bed driving means by a variable speed drive which drives the cylinders in the same direction during the movement of the bed in both directions. according to this invention, is accomplished with a single clutch unit and without the use of floating gears to permit the necessary vertical movement of the cylinder surfaces relative to the horizontal bed 30.

With reference to Figure 2, it will be noted that the hollow shaft 73 has a shaft 97 extending therethrough and projecting from opposite ends. The ends of the shaft 97 are rotatably mounted in bearings 98 provided in the ends of the hollow shaft 73. The left-hand end of the shaft 97 (Figure 2) has keyed thereon a large driving sprocket 99 which is driven continuously by a chain 100 (Figure 1) that extends over a smaller sprocket Driving of the cylinders,

101 keyed on the constantly-rotating flywheel shaft 44. The opposite end of the shaft 97 has a beveled gear 102 keyed thereon. This gear 102 actuates a clutch unit, indicated generally by the numeral 103, of the cylinder driving mechanism.

This clutch unit 103 is shown best in Figures 2, 7, 8 and 9. It will be noted from Figures 1 and 2 that the clutch unit 103 is concentric with the hollow shaft 73. This shaft 73 is supported transversely substantially midway between the ends of the frame 31 and midway between the cylinder structures 3-2and 33, but at a lower level, as shown in Figure 1. As will later appear, the single clutch unit 103 drives both of the cylinders 32 and 33.

The clutchiunit 103 includes the gear (Figure 2) at onesidc thereof and the gear 111 at the other side thereof, both of which are mounted for oscillation and which are simultaneously oscillated but in opposite dimotions. The gear 110 is keyed on the hub 113 of the bed driving gear 77. The gear 111 is indirectly rotatably mounted on the stub shaft 114 which is carried by the outer access plate 115, mounted on the outer'side of the housing 116 whichis supported within the frame member 36. The gear 111 is rotatable relative to the housing 116. The gears 110 and 111 are bevel gears facing each other and at the lower side of the housing between them is a bevel idler pinion 117 which is mounted on a radial stub shaft 118. The shaft 118 is mounted, by suit able bearings 119 and 120, in a depending extension 121 of the housing 116. The gear 110 drives the pinion 117 and this, in turn, drives the gear 111 but in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the gear 110. Thus, upon movement of the bed 30, the gears 110 and 111 will be oscillated but the direction of rotation of the one gear will always be opposite to that of the other gear. A cylinder driving gear 122 is provided at the outer side of the housing 116 and is bolted to the clutch sleeve which isrotatably mounted within the housing by suitable bearings at its outer end on the stub shaft 114 and at its inner end on the end of the shaft 73, The gear 111 is rotatably mounted on the sleeve 125 so that it can, at the proper time, rotate relative to the gear 122.

The clutch unit 103 includes a clutch arrangement for alternately connecting the gear 119 and the gear 111 with the cylinder shell driving gear 122. This connection is accomplished when the gears 110 and 111 are driven successively in the same direction. Thus, the cylinder drivinggear 122 will always be driven in the same direction and in exact synchronism with the movement of the bed.

The clutch arrangement is illustrated best in Figures 2, 7, 8 and 9. ,It will be noted from Figure 2 that the outer edge of the hub of the gear 110 is provided with clutch teeth which are adapted to engage teeth on the inner edge of a shifting collar 123 of the clutch unit. Similarly, the gear 111 is provided with teeth on its inner hub surface adapted to engage teeth on the outer edge of a shifting collar 124 of the clutch unit. Both of the collars 123 and 124 are splined to the sleeve 125 which, as previously indicated, is rotatable withinthc housing 116. When the collar 123 is engaged with the gear 110, the sleeve 125 is driven by that gear and when the collar 124 is engaged with the gear 111, the sleeve 125 is driven by the gear 111. Whenever the sleeve 125 is rotated, the cylinder driving gear 122 is correspondingly rotated. Axial movement of clutch collars 123 and 124 to alternately engage the respective gears 116 and 111, respectively, is accomplished with the cam mechanism now to be described.

i This mechanism comprises a pair of cams 126 (Figure 8) which are carried on the opposite ends of a shaft 127. This shaft 127 extends diametrically through the clutch sleeve 125 and is rotatably carried by it. Carried by the clutch shifting collar 123 is a pair of diametrically opposed cam followers 128 which engage the respective cams 126 at one side thereof and similarly carried by the shifting collar 124 is a pair of cam followers 129 which engage the respective cams 126 at the other side thereof. It will be apparent that rotation of the shaft 127 about its axis will move the collars 123 and 124 axially. In order to keep the followers 128 and 129 in engagement with the respective cams 126, the spring arrangement illustrated best in Figures 7 and 8 is provided.

This spring arrangement is like that disclosed in our copending application Serial No. 252,642 and comprises a pair of diametrically opposed compression springs 130. Each spring 139 is disposed between a collar 131 and a collar 132. The collar 131 is mounted on a sleeve 133 in engagement with a split ring 133a. The opposite end of this sleeve 133 is provided with a ring 1331) which engages the outer side of a lug 134 formed on the clutch shifting collar 123. The other collar 131 which is engaged by the spring 130 is provided with a U-shape extension 135 which straddles the lug 134 and the outer edge of which engages the head 136 formed on the adjacent end of a pin 137 which extends through a radially extending lug 138 on the clutch shifting collar 123 and carries a split ring 139 which engages the outer side of the lug 133 carried by the clutch ring 124. The two spring units are identical, as indicated except that they are reversed. It will be apparent that with this arrangement although compression springs are provided, they will serve to move the clutch shifting rings 123 and 124 towards each other and thereby keep the followers 128 and 129 in contact with the cams 126.

The cam shaft 127 is driven by the constant speed drive shaft 97 which extends through and is rotatably disposed in the oscillatable shaft 73. The bevel gear 102, as previously indicated, is keyed on the shaft 97 and meshes with a bevel gear or pinion 140 which is keyed on the cam shaft 127 adjacent one of the cams 126. Thus, it will be apparent that the cam shaft 127 is driven by the constant speed shaft 97.

The operation of the clutch unit 103 is as follows: With the clutches in the condition shown in Figure 9, that is, with the collar 123 in engagement with the gear 110 and with the collar 124 disengaged from the gear 111, the gear 110 is connected to the sleeve 125 so as to drive it which will, in turn, drive the cylinder driving gear 122. The gear 111, at this time, is disconnected from the sleeve 125. The gear 77 will be driven along with the gear 113 and in the same direction, and the gear 111 will be driven in an opposite direction by the pinion 117. When the clutch collar 124 engages with the gear 111 and the clutch collar 123 disengages from the gear 110, the gear 111 drives the sleeve 125 and, therefore, the cylinder driving gear 122 and the gear 110 are free of the sleeve 125. This will be during the return stroke of the bed 30 and it will be understood that the gear 111 will be rotating in the same direction that the gear 110 rotated when it was driving the sleeve 125 and the cylinder driving gear 122. Thus, the cylinder drivinggear 122 is driven in the same direction at all times but al ternately by the gear 110 and 111. The constant speed shaft 97 will drive the bevel gear 102 in the same direction as the sleeve 125. There will be a differential action between the two because of the variable speed of rotation of the sleeve 125, since such rotation is controlled by movement of the bed 30, resulting in the gear 102 rotating relative to the sleeve 125 and thereby rotating the bevel pinion 149 about its axis, which produces rotation of the cam shaft 127 and the cams 126 carried thereby. This rotation of the cams 126 will cause axial movement of the two clutch rings 123 and 124 at the proper intervals and in the proper directions. At the extreme end of the stroke of the bed 30, the cams 126 will be rotated to such a position that both of the clutch collars 123 and 124 will be in engaging positions. The clutch gearing is such and the differential action is such that this occurs at the end'of each stroke. Then as the bed 30 reverses itself, one of the clutch collars is disengaged and the other is engaged which is the condition illustrated in Figure 9. Both clutch collars 123 and 124 are in engagement at the end of each stroke of the bed 30, because each cam 126 is rotated through one-half revolution for each bed stroke. Thus, with the shape of each cam 126 as indicated, the engagement of both clutch collars 123 and 124 will occur at the end of each bed stroke.

As previously indicated, the gear 122, which is driven in the same direction at all times, serves to drive the surface portions or shells of the cylinders 32 and 33. The gear 122 meshes with an idler gear 141 and with an idler gear 142 at opposite sides thereof. The gears 141 and 142 mesh respectively with the cylinder gears 143 and 144 disposed at the ends of the cylinders 32 and 33 respectively. The gears 141 and 142 are carried respectively by the shafts 145 and 146 which are mounted on the side frame member 36 parallel to the axis of the shaft 73. The gears 143 and 144 and associated gears 141 and 142 are disposed within the side plate 147 (Figure 10) which is attached to the side frame member 36.

As previously indicated, the structure of the cylinders 32 and 33 is improved over that disclosed in our copending applications. In Figure 10, we have illustrated the cylinder 32 but it is to be understood that the cylinder 33 and any other cylinder used in a multipress constructed according to our invention will be identical.

The gear 143, associated with the cylinder 32 (Figure 10), is keyed on a cylinder driving sleeve 150 which extends inwardly from the plate 147. The inner end of this sleeve 150 is rotatably disposed within a bearing ring 151 mounted in a socket formed in the upper end of the side frame member 36. The sleeve 150 is supported for rotation by suitable bearings on a stationary tubular bearing 152 which has its outer end bolted to the plate 147.

The impression cylinder is so designed that it will be substantially free of deflection during the printing impression yet is ofv such a nature that its drive by the bed driving means is facilitated and the required driving power is at a minimum. The cylinder consists only of two main parts, namely, the inner trunnion shaft or supporting member 153 of cylindrical form and the outer impression shell 154 of sleeve-like'form which is mounted on the member 153 for rotation. The shell 154 is adapted to be driven in accordance with the bed motion and will rotate on the shaft member 153, which is not driven and is stationary except that it is oscillated for raising and lowering the impression shell at the proper intervals, as will later appear. Thus, only the light-weight shell 154 need be driven. This shell 154 can be formed of light-weight material, such as aluminum, magnesium or titanium to further facilitate driving thereof and reduce the power requirement. The supporting shaft 153 can be of heavier material for strength'since it is not necessary to drive it in accordance with the bed motion. The shell 154 is supported on the shaft 153 for relative rotation by means of the axially spaced bearings 154a, as indicated in Figure 10.

The supporting shaft 153 (Figure 10) is provided With an outwardly extending trunnion 155 at its right-hand end and an outwardly extending trunnion 156 at the other end which are eccentric with the main part of the shaft and with the printing surface of the cylinder shell 154 as shown by the center lines in Figure 10. The projecting trunnion 155 is disposed rotatably within the bearing 157 at the inner end of the bearing sleeve 152. It will be noted that the bearing157, for receiving the trunnion 155, is e'ccentrically disposed relative to the outer surface of the bearing sleeve 152. Thus, the axis of the bearing 157 is eccentric relative to the cylinder driving sleeve 150. The opposite trunnion 156 fits into an eccentric bearing 158 which is similar to the bearing 157 being coaxial therewith. This bearing 158 is located in the upwardly extendingsupporting frame portion 159 of the side frame member- 35. 1

It will be apparent that since the cylinder shell supporting shaft 153 is carried by the eccentric bearings 157 and 153, oscillation of the shaft 153 will raise or lower the cylinder shell 154 relative to the bed 30. However, during the printing stroke of the bed 30, the printing surface of the cylinder 32 is concentric with the cylinder gear 143. For oscillating the shaft 153, we provide the structure which will now be described in detail.

This structure is shown best in Figures 1, 3 to 6, and 10. Within the supporting frame portion 159 at the lefthand of the cylinder (Figure on the trunnion 156 there is provided a crank arm portion 168. Pivotally connected at 161 (Figure 3) to this crank arm 160 is the upper end of a connecting rod 162. The lower end of this rod 162 is pivotally connected to a crank arm 163 which is mounted coaxially with a pinion-164. It will be noted that the rod 162 includes a turnbuckle section 165 by means of which its length may be varied. The

rack pinion 164 engages upwardly with a rack section- 166. This rack section 166 is carried by a rack bar 167 Figures 1, 3 and 6) mounted for reciprocation lougitudinally of the frame 31. The rack bar 167-is mounted slidably in a guide channel 168 (Figured) formed beneath the upper portion of the bed supporting track member 39, the outer wall of the channel being provided by the bar 169 bolted to-the track member. The pinion 164 and the crank arm 163 are'carried by a transverse shaft-member 179 (Figure 4) which is rotatably carried by the track member 39 and another frame portion 169 carriedby the frame member 35. It will be noted from Figure 4 that the pinion 164 is keyed to a sleeve 172 which, in turn, is rotatably mounted on the shaft 170. For normally clutching the sleeve 172 to the shaft 170 a throw-out clutch sleeve 174 is splined to the shaft 170. Normally the clutch portion on the end of the sleeve 174 engages a clutch portion on the adjacent end of 'the sleeve 172. However, suitable means (not shown) may be provided for moving the sleeve 174 outwardly so that the crank arm 163 will be disconnected from the pinion 164, it being noted that the crank arm is actually formed on the outer end of the shaft 170. This throw-out means functions as is well known when a sheet is not properly gripped or registered with a cylinder.

The rack bar 167 is reciprocated in properly timed relationship to the bed movement-in order to raise and lower the cylinder shell or shells by means of a gear segment 180 which engages upwardly with a rack section 181 carried by the rack frame 169. The upward engagement of the pinion 164 and the gear segment 189 with the rack bar 167 keep it up in the channel 168. The segment 130 is mounted for oscillation by means of a stub shaft 183 (Figure 6) which is carried by suitable bearings in the track member 39. The gear segment 186 is oscillated by means of a cam follower 186, in the form of a roller, mounted thereon which fits into a cam groove 187 formed in one of the side surfaces of a cam member 188 which is keyed to the continuously rotating crankshaft 51 which rotates through one complete revolution for each bed cycle. This groove 187 is of such outline that the rack bar 167 will be reciprocated at proper inter vals so as to oscillate the rack pinion 164, move the rod 162 vertically, and oscillate the cylinder shell supporting shaft 153 to raise and lower the "cylinder during one bed cycle. Since this shaft 153 is supported in the eccentric bearings 157 and 158, this will cause at raising and lowering of the cylinder shell 154 to bring about contact of the surface of the shell with the form carried by the bed 30 during the printing operation and bring about spacing of these members on the return stroke of the bed. Obviously, as shown in Figure 1, another rack section 166 and associated mechanism will be provided for raising and lowering the shell of the cylinder 33, or for any other cylinder mounted on the press.

'As previously indicated, the sleeve 150 is the cylinder driving sleeve. This sleeve is driven in the same direction at all times during the reciprocating cycle of the bed 30. As previously explained, the cylinder shell 154 is raised and'lowered during the reciprocating cycle of the bed and, therefore,'the driving connection between the sleeve 150 and the cylinder shell 154 must be sufilciently flexible to permit this. The connection between the inner end of the cylinder driving sleeve 150 and the adjacent end of the shell 154 is illustrated best in Figures 10 and 13. The inner end of the sleeve 150 is provided with an integral radially outwardly extending driving lug 190. This lug 190 fits into an inwardly-directed U-shaped driven lug 191 which is formed on the adjacent end of the cylinder shell 154. The lug 190 has a rounded portion and the U-sha-ped lug 191 is free-to move in and out radially relative to the driving lug 190. Thus, even when the cylinder shell 154 does move vertically or radially because of the oscillation of the shaft member 153, the driving connection between the cylinder driving sleeve and the cylinder shell 154 is maintained.

During the reciprocation of the bed 3% which is with a full harmonic motion, the cylinders 32 and 33 are rotated in the same direction at all times regardless of the direction of movement of the bed and through two complete revolutions for each reciprocating cycle of the bed, the rotation of each of the cylinders is timed with the movement of the bed'sothat the peripheral speed of each cylinder 32 and 33 coincides with the speed of the bed 30 during its complete cycle of movement, and the cylinders 32 and 33 are in contact with the forms F during the printing stroke, but are lifted therefromduring movement of the bed 30 in the opposite direction, that is, during the return stroke. The driving connection -191 to each of the cylinders 32 and 33' is such that the vertical movement of the cylinder shells 154 is permitted without disturbing such connection.

It will be apparent from the above description, that we have provided a flat bed and cylinder printing press having an improved cylinder structure, improved cylinder driving means, and improved cylinder raising and lowering means.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In a'flat bed and cylinder printing press of the multicylinder type including a reciprocable bed and a plurality of impression cylinders disposed in cooperative relationship, means for reciprocating said bed with a full harmonic motion, said means comprising crank-driven rack mechanism including a reciprocable rack engaging a pinion carried by abed-driving shaft, means for raising and lowering each of said cylinders in timed relationship to the reciprocating movement of the bed, means operatively connected to said bed-reciprocating means for driving each of said impression cylinders in the same direction at all times so thatthe peripheral speed thereof coincides with the speed of the bed through two complete revolutions for each reciprocating cycle of the bed, said means comprises a cylinder gear mounted adjacent each cylinder on a fixed center, a pair of oscillatable gears that are concentric with said bed-driving shaft and axially spaced thereon and that are geared to the rack mechanism so that they are oscillated thereby in opposite directions, and a single clutch mechanism disposed concentrically on said bed-driving shaft between said oscillatable gears for alternately driving-each cylinder gear from each of the oscillatable gears, said clutch mechanism including a cylinder driving gear mounted on a fixed center and meshing with idler gears on fixed centers which mesh with said fixed-center cylinder gears, and a driving connection between each cylinder gear and its associated cylinderwhich is flexible to permit the raising and loweringof-thecylinder.

means for raising and lowering said cylinder in timed relationship to the reciprocating movement of the bed, means operatively connected to said bed-reciprocating means for driving said impression cylinder in the same direction at all times so that the peripheral speed thereof coincides with the speed of the bed through two complete revolutions for each reciprocating cycle of the bed, said means comprises a cylinder gear mounted adjacent said cylinder on a fixed center, a pair of oscillatable gears that are concentric with said bed-driving shaft and axially spaced thereon and that are geared to the rack mechanism so that they are oscillated thereby in opposite directions, and a clutch mechanism disposed concentrically on said bed-driving shaft between said oscillatable gears for alternately driving said cylinder gear from each of the oscillatable gears, said clutch mechanism including a cylinder driving gear mounted on a fixed center spaced laterally from the center of said cylinder gear and meshing with an idler gear on a fixed center which meshes with said fixed-center cylinder gear, and a driving connection between said cylinder gear and its associated cylinder which is flexible to permit the raising and lowering of the cylinder.

3. In a fiat bed and cylinder printing press of the multi-cylinder type including a reciprocable bed and a plurality of impression cylinders disposed in cooperative relationship, means for reciprocating said bed with a full harmonic motion, said means comprising a reciprocable rack which oscillates a bed-driving shaft, a bed-driving gear driven by said shaft, means for raising and lowering each of said cylinders in timed relationship to the reciprocating movement of the bed, means operatively connected to said bed-reciprocating means for driving each of said impression cylinders in the same direction at all times so that the peripheral speed thereof coincides with the speed of the bed through two complete revolutions for each reciprocating cycle of the bed, said means comprising a cylinder gear mounted adjacent each cylinder on a fixed center, a pair of oscillatable gears that are geared to the rack mechanism so that they are oscillated thereby in opposite directions, one of said oscillatable gears being driven by said bed-driving shaft and the other of said oscillatable gears being driven in a reverse direction by said first oscillatable gear, said bed-driving gear and said oscillatable gears being concentric with the beddn'ving shaft, said oscillatable gears being axially spaced, a single clutch mechanism for alternately driving each cylinder gear from each of the oscillatable gears and being disposed between said oscillatable gears, said clutch mechanism including a cylinder driving gear mounted on a fixed center and meshing with idler gears on fixed centers which mesh with said fixed-center cylinder gears, said clutch mechanism comprising two clutches, one of said clutches being associated with one of said oscillatable gears and the other of said clutches being associated with the other of said oscillatable gears, clutch-actuating means comprising cam mechanism which ensures that one of the clutches is in engagement before the other is re leased, said cam mechanism including a rotatable cam and means for rotating said cam in timed relationship to the movement of the bed, said means rotating the cam so as to cause engagement of one clutch and dis-engagement of the other at the start of one stroke of the bed movement and engagement of both clutches at the end of such stroke, said cam being so shaped that for each one-half revolution thereof, one clutch remains in engagement while the other clutch becomes disengaged and remains out of engagement for the major portion of the 1.0 l half-revolution and is again engaged just prior. to the completion of the half-revolution, said clutch mechanism also including a rotatable clutch sleeve, said oscillatable gears being rotatable relative to said sleeve, clutch rings splined on the sleeve for axial movement thereof to engage the,respective oscillatable gears, said cam being carried by the sleeve for revolving movement with the sleeve, means for rotating said cam to move said clutch rings axially into and out ofengagement with said oscillatable gears, said'cylinder driving gear being driven by said sleeve, said means for rotating said cam comprising a constantly driven gear disposed-within said clutch sleeve coaxial therewith and mounted for rotation-relative thereto, said cam being carried by a shaft disposed radially of the sleeve and rotatably carried thereby, a pinion carried by said shaft and engaging said constantly driven gear, and a driving connection between each cylinder gear and its associated cylinder which is flexible to permit the raising and lowering of the cylinder.

4. Structure according to claim 3 in which the constantly driven gear is carried by a shaft extending through said bed-driving shaft. I

5. Structure according to claim 4 wherein the oscillatable gears are bevel gears disposed at each side of the clutch unit adjacent the ends of said clutch sleeve, and

a bevel pinion between said bevel gears. n

6. Structure according to claim 5 in which said cylin; der comprises a cylinder shell, a trunnion shaft having trunnions on its ends which are coaxial therewith and with said shell but which are mounted in bearings eccentric relative thereto, said shell being rotatably supported on said shaft, and means for oscillating said shaft, said flexible driving connection between each cylinder gear and the cylinder including a cylinder driving sleeve driven by the cylinder gear and driving portions on the cylinder driving sleeve and the cylinder shell which drivingly engage each other but are free to move radially relatively.

7. In a flat bed and cylinder printing press including a reciprocable bed and an impression cylinder disposed in cooperative relationship, means for reciprocating said bed with a full harmonic motion, said means comprising a reciprocable rack which oscillates a bed-driving shaft, a bed-driving gear driven by said shaft, means for raising and lowering each of said cylinders in timed relationship to the reciprocating movement of the bed, means operatively connected to said bed-reciprocating means for driving each of said impression cylinders in the same direction at all times so that the peripheral speed thereof coincides with the speed of the bed through two complete revolutions for each reciprocating cycle of the bed, said means comprising a cylinder gear mounted adjacent each cylinder on a fixed center, a pair of oscillatable gears that are geared to the rack mechanism so that they are oscillated thereby in opposite directions, one of said oscilltable gears being driven by said bed-driving shaft and the other of said oscillatable gears being driven in a reverse direction by said first oscillatable gear, said bed-driving gear and said oscillatable gears being concentric with the bed-driving shaft, said oscillatable gears being axially spaced, a single clutch mechanism for alternately driving each cylinder gear from each of the oscillatable gears and being disposed between said oscillatable gears, said clutch mechanism including a cylinder driving gear mounted on a fixed center and meshing with idler gears on fixed centers which mesh with said fixed-center cylinder gears, said clutch mechanism comprising two clutches, one of said clutches being associated with one of said oscillatable gears and the other of said clutches being associated with the other of said oscillatable gears, clutch-actuating means comprising cam mechanism which ensures that one of the clutches is in engagement before the other is released, said cam mechanism including a rotable cam and means for rotating said cam in timed relationship to the move ment of the bed, said means rotating the cam so as to cause engagement of one clutch and disengagement of and engagement of both clutches at the end of such stroke, said cam being so shaped that for each one-half revolution thereof, one clutch remains in engagement while the other clutch becomes disengaged and remains out of engagement for the'major portion of thehalf-revolution and is again engaged just prior to the completion of the half-revolution,--said clutch mechanism also including a rotatable clutch sleeve, said oscillatable gears being rotatably relative to said sleeve, clutch rings splined on the sleeve for axial movement thereof to engage the respective oscillatable gears, said cam being carried by the sleeve for revolving movement with'the sleeve, means for rotating said cam to move said clutch rings axially into and out of'engagement withsaid oscillatable gears, said cylinder driving gear being driven by said sleeve, said means for rotating said cam'comprising a constantly driven gear disposed within said clutch sleeve coaxial therewith and mounted for rotation thereto,said cam being carried by a shaft disposed radially of the sleeve and 20 9. Structure according to claim 8 wherein the oscillatable gears arebevel gears disposed at eachside of the clutchiunit adjacent-the ends ofsaid clutch sleeve, and a bevel pinion betweensaid bevel gears.

10. Structure according to claim 9 in which said cylinder comprises a cylinder shell, a trunnion shaft having trunnions on its ends which are coaxial therewith and with said shell but which are mounted in bearings eccentric relative thereto, said shell being rotatably supported on said shaft, and means for oscillating said shaft, said flexible driving connection between each cylinder gear and thercylinder including a cylinder driving sleeve driven by the cylinder gear and driving portions on the cylinder driving sleeve and thecylinder shell whichdrivinglyengage eachother but are free to move radially relatively.

ReferencesCitedin the 'file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 445,059

Hawkins Jan. 20, 1891 457,286 -Maxson et al. Aug. 4, 1891 1,120,663 Baker Dec. 15, 1914 1,302,366 Hodgman Apr. 29, 1919 2,112,216 Wood Mar. 22, 1938 2,218,151 'Kelly Oct. 15, 1940 2,556,251 Bell June 12, 1951 2,737,110 Montgomery et a1. Mar. 6, 1956 

